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Striker John Akinde has turned down a move away from Gillingham.
The 32-year-old has rejected the chance to join Bristol Rovers, Gills manager Steve Evans revealed on Tuesday evening.
Akinde missed the draw at AFC Wimbledon through injury but Evans disclosed that he has turned down the opportunity of playing for Rovers again, a club he featured for on loan in 2010.
“There’s a couple of lads who have had options to go,” said Evans.
“John Akinde’s had an option to go to Bristol Rovers and turned the move down. That’s up to John, that’s his family’s decision.
“Big Christian Maghoma has got options to go as we’ve said (before).”
Akinde is believed to want to stay in the south east, and has been linked with a move to National League newboys Southend.
A move to Rovers could have reunited Akinde with former Gills forward Brandon Hanlan, although he could yet move on in this window with League 1 Lincoln hoping to complete a deal.
Evans provided an update on a potential loan signing from a Premier League club - a potential move that will boost his threadbare squad.
“We’ve not heard from them but we’ll speak to them tomorrow,” stated the Gills boss on Tuesday night.
“If he’d been in yesterday he would have played because we’re that short, we really are.
“We desperately hope that as a football club we can find a little bit of money.
“What we do as a football club, one million per cent and the chairman is right, we pay what we can afford and we don’t overpay and get a Bolton or Bury.”
